Julia Ardery explores that question through the life story of Kentucky woodcarver Edgar Tolson (1904-1984) and the evolving public reception of his poplar "dolls." The Temptation presents a vivid chronicle of folk art's ascendancy in the late twentieth century, enlivened by the voices and opinions of diverse participants in the folk art scene. Drawing on in-depth interviews with collectors and dealers, museum and auction house officials, and Tolson's own family members and friends, the book traces a twenty-year tug-of-war over the definition, sale, and interpretation of folk art. Unlike earlier studies, Ardery's work also links the popularity of folk art to larger historical forces: the civil rights movement and the War on Poverty in Appalachia, government and corporate arts sponsorship, developments in arts education, and an expanded art market. Well-illustrated and impeccably documented, The Temptation offers an engaging account of how a generation both reflected and reinforced its ideals through its fascination with crayon drawings, quilts, and wooden dolls. Published in 1998. University of North Carolina Press soft cover.

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